The present relation relates to power tools and, more particularly, to a power waxer having an electric motor.
Typically, power tools, such as polishers or waxers, for use on delicate work surfaces of varying contours, including exterior car finishes, tend to lack a structure, e.g., handles, that allow for effective and precise operator control and maneuverability during operation on the surface. Such power tools commonly include a motor that drives a working element, such as a polishing or waxing pad, in an orbital path for engagement with the work surface. To properly treat the work surface while preventing damage thereto, it is important that an operator be able to precisely guide the working element along the work surface and to simultaneously control the pressure with which the working element is applied to the work surface. For instance, if the tool is used with too much pressure, such as by not being able to control and prevent the entire weight of the tool from being applied to the working element and, consequently, the work surface, the finish on the work surface can be easily damaged or even ruined. On the other hand, too little application pressure will tend to result in the surface finish not being polished properly or in an increase in operation time to accomplish the desired finish.
The vibratory response associated with orbital motion further complicates the polishing operations. It has been found that such response felt by operators using orbital motion is significantly greater than that associated with other non-orbital type tools. Thus, the structure of the power tool must take into consideration this response.
To increase efficiency, it is also desirable that an operator be able cover a relatively large area on the work surface, while at the same time maintaining control over the application pressure and path of the tool during operation. This is usually accomplished by either relocating to a different location relative to the work surface or by extending one""s arms over and about the work surface. The latter technique is used most often when polishing remote areas that cannot be accessed by simply relocating, such as when polishing central areas of an automobile, e.g., central areas of the hood, roof and trunk. As mentioned above, experience, however, has taught that accuracy and precision is sacrificed when operating the tool with one""s arms extended because of the increased vibrational response from orbital motion.
Another problem in operation of these tools is the location of the power supply line providing power to the motor. Oftentimes, such electrical cord is connected either directly, or with a pigtail cord, to the housing. These power cords tend to increase the likelihood of damage to the working surface due to it and its associated connecting head coming in contact with such surface and any wax thereon during operation of the polisher. This is undesirable due to potential marring of the finish caused by such contact.
Pigtail cords also present the additional problem that when the work surface is close to the ground, such as the lower portions of a car""s exterior surface, the mating interface between the heads of the pigtail and the power supplying cord can run along the ground, potentially through any standing water accumulated thereon, which can present a hazardous situation to the operator. If the water causes a ground fault, the power to the tool will be abruptly interrupted, which can cause damage to both the power tool and the surface in engagement with the tool.
Also, normally the cord is in a position relative to the handle such that operators are required to continually adjust their support of the tool and grip on the handle(s) during operation of the tool due to undue interference from the power supplying cord.
With pigtail cords, as well as with cords connected directly to an electrical receptacle on the housing, there exits a concern with accidental separation between the pigtail or the receptacle and the supply cord. Separation problems are compounded with orbital polishers and waxers as typically they are used with car surfaces which can require an operator to move around the automobile to buff or wax the entire extent of its exterior surfaces. Such movement can cause tension to be applied to the interface between the electrical supply cord and the tool, be it on the head of a pigtail cord attached to the housing or at an electrical receptacle at the housing itself. In addition, the increased levels of vibration generated through the polisher housing increases the potential for separation as the cord(s) are constantly experiencing intermittent tension forces.
Thus, there is a need for a power tool, particularly one that drives its working element in an orbital path, which allows an operator to effectively and accurately control the working element and reach a relatively large area on a working surface from a generally stationary position. There is also a need for an ergonomic power tool as described above which removes the electrical connection or power cord as an impediment to control and operation of the tool and substantially limits disconnections at the interface between the power supply and power receiving receptacle of the tool.
Further, with power waxers, the working element typically includes a circular pad that is driven by the electric motor in a somewhat random orbital path so as to simulate the orbital motion made by a person waxing with a rag or cloth by hand. These pads commonly have a foam construction and are not designed to be placed into engagement with the working surface for polishing. Instead, the pad is fitted with a bonnet that is elastically fitted about the pad and is designed for polishing contact with the working surface.
Bonnets of varying material are used for different stages in the polishing process, including wax application, polishing and buffing stages. In a common process, paste or liquid wax is first applied onto an applicator bonnet fitted on the pad for spreading the wax on the work surface. Once the surface is covered with wax, the wax applicator bonnet is removed from the pad and a clean terry cloth bonnet is fitted on the pad for polishing the wax on the work surface. Finally, the surface is buffed to produce a deep shine by placing more pressure on the surface with the pad assembly as the waxer is operated and/or replacing the polishing pad with a bonnet, such as of lambs wool, which creates more friction on the wax surface.
Without being able to quickly change the bonnets, operators would be required to adjust the force applied by the pad assembly on the surface during each stage of the polishing operation. For instance, without changing bonnets, each subsequent stage would require additional pressure, which can lead to mistakes and in many cases damage to the work surfaces. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a waxer that allows operators to readily change bonnets to more precisely apply the appropriate force during the various stages during the polishing process.
As discussed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,008, power waxers typically use a direct current motor assembly with a rectifier to convert alternating current into direct current for application to the coils of the direct current motor. Another problem lies in the construction of the rectifiers themselves that have elongated blade terminals which extend into and out from the body of the rectifiers. The use of blade terminals adds costs to the manufacture of these rectifiers. Another expense arises with respect to the electrical connections that are necessary between the rectifier and the motor circuitry. Accordingly, a less expensive rectifier for use with a direct current motor for a power tool, and particularly a waxer would be desirable.
In accordance with the present invention, a power waxer is provided which includes structure for electrically connecting a power cord thereto while minimizing instances of accidental disconnection therebetween with the structure being located so as to substantially remove the power cord as an impediment to the operation and ability to exert proper control over the waxer during operation thereof. Also, there is provided structure for controlling torque output of a motor of a power waxer to selectively change the torque output for different stages of the waxing process.
In one form, the waxer includes a housing for containing a motor. A handle extends away and down from the housing and has an end spaced from the housing. A receptacle mounted on the housing faces toward the handle in alignment with the spaced end for receiving an electrical plug head of a power cord to electrically connect the waxer to an electrical power source for energizing the motor. A cord lock is located on the handle end for capturing a section of power cord to limit unintentional disconnections between the receptacle and plug head and, with the positioning of the receptacle and the cord lock, the handle can be gripped at different locations while operating the waxer without interference from a power cord.
While the first embodiment of the invention hereinafter discussed has an advantageous cord receptacle and lock arrangement on the top of the housing that eliminates the likelihood of the power cord marring the working surface, it can be difficult to rest the waxer upside down on its housing because the plug receptacle and cord lock of the waxer are at the top of the housing. With this arrangement, the operator would have to unplug or remove the power cord from the waxer unit in order to change the bonnet in this manner. By having the cord lock at the distal bottom end of the handle and the plug receptacle on the housing aligned therewith in the above-described form of the waxer, interference from the cord when flipping the housing over to rest it on its top to change bonnets is avoided.
More specifically, the power waxer may also include a pad driven by the motor and a removable cover that fits on the pad for engagement with the working surface. The housing can include a generally flat top so that it may be rested thereon for accessing the pad to replace the cover without interference from a power cord attached in the receptacle and having a section captured in the cord lock.
The cord lock may take the shape of an elongated opening that changes directions at least once so that a section of power cord is bent when placed therein. The elongated opening also may have an arcuate configuration.
The handle may include a lower substantially straight joining portion that extends from the spaced handle end below the cord lock back toward the housing to define a grip opening. The joining portion then is adjacent to and below a cord that is attached in the receptacle with a section thereof captured in the cord lock and extending generally along the joining portion.
The motor also may drive the pad in an orbital path, and the housing may include a front and a rear with the handle being at the rear of the housing and generally extending arcuately in a vertical plane. A second handle may be provided that has a portion spaced forwardly of the housing front and that generally extends arcuately in a horizontal plane. This provides for two-handed control over the waxer with the operator gripping along both arcuate handles at various positions thereon while operating the waxer for maximizing control thereover without interference from a power cord.
The handle may include an actuator for selectively energizing the motor, and the actuator may be spaced from the cord lock along the handle for being engaged by a hand of an operator that is gripping the handle to control the waxer. The handle further may have an arcuate portion to which the actuator is mounted, and the actuator may be in the form of a paddle actuator having an arcuate shape substantially complementary to that of the handle arcuate portion. The actuator may have a lock-on mechanism for keeping the actuator in a position at which the motor is constantly energized without requiring the operator to continually engage the actuator to hold the actuator in the motor energizing position.
In another form, there is provided an orbital waxer having an electrical motor, that is supplied with electrical power by a power cord having a plug on one end, and an upstanding housing for containing the motor. The housing has a central vertical axis extending therethrough and a lower portion and an upper portion with a substantially flat top. An arcuate handle extends away from the housing upper portion and has a distal end spaced from the housing that is at a level generally aligned with the lower portion of the housing. A plug receptacle is located on the lower portion of the housing and has an opening that faces toward the handle end for receiving a cord plug to electrically connect the waxer to an electrical power source for energizing the motor. A pad and bonnet assembly is driven by the motor below the lower portion of the housing in an orbital path for being engaged with a working surface. A cord lock at the handle end captures a section of power cord to limit unintentional disconnections between the receptacle and plug and cooperates with the plug receptacle to maintain a segment of the cord in a substantially fixed position relative to the arcuate handle. This assists in keeping the handle free for gripping along its entire extent above the end during operation of the waxer and in allowing the housing to be turned over and rested on the flat top for changing bonnets on the pad without interference from a power cord.
The arcuate handle also may include a substantially straight joining portion extending from the handle distal end back toward the housing lower portion generally along and below the cord extending in a fixed position between the receptacle and cord lock. The cord fixed position may be substantially perpendicular to the housing central axis.
The handle also may have opposite sides with the cord lock being an elongated channel formed in one of the handle sides. The elongated channel also may have bends which extend in directions that are transverse to the fixed position of the cord.
The arcuate handle may have a predetermined curved shape that extends upwardly from the cord lock of the handle end and then back toward the housing upper portion to provide a variety of different positions over the cord fixed position at which the handle can be gripped for controlling the waxer during operation thereof. An arcuate paddle actuator may be provided for selectively energizing the motor and for being engaged by a hand of an operator that is gripping the handle.
Additionally, the arcuate handle may include a motor output control actuator for selectively changing the torque output of the motor applied to the pad as it is driven in its orbital path and for being engaged by a hand of an operator that is gripping the handle. The actuator also may be a rotary actuator that rotates about an axis that extends transverse to the handle to a plurality of different positions corresponding to different torque outputs of the motor. A linear switch mounted in the motor housing and connected to the rotary actuator is then shifted linearly by rotation of the actuator to different predetermined positions for changing the torque output of the motor.
The pad may have a large diameter of approximately nine and one-half inches.
In another form, there is provided a power waxer having a pad driven by an electric motor and a housing containing the motor with an upper portion and a lower portion with the pad being mounted below the lower portion to be driven by the motor. A handle extends away from the upper portion of the housing generally in a vertical plane, and a rotary switch actuator located adjacent the junction of the housing upper portion and the handle. The rotary actuator having a curved exterior portion that is rotated by a hand of an operator that is gripping the handle. The exterior portion is curved about a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the vertical plane. A linear switch is provided in the housing that slides linearly to a plurality of positions so that when the switch is slid from one position to another position, the motor correspondingly changes from generating one torque output to another torque output. The linear switch is connected to the rotary actuator so that rotation of the actuator curved portion about the axis causes linear sliding of the switch for changing torque outputs of the motor.
The switch also may have first and second positions, and the motor has low and high torque outputs corresponding to the switch first and second positions, respectively. The low torque output is adapted for application of wax by the pad to a work surface, and the high torque output is adapted for polishing and buffing by the pad of the applied wax on the work surface.
The housing also may have a bearing support for the curved portion of the rotary actuator for rotation thereabout. The rotary actuator may include a pair of spaced members in the housing that are rotated along the bearing as the actuator is rotated, and the switch includes a projection between the actuator spaced members for being slid linearly thereby when the actuator is rotated. The switch projection may slide forwardly and rearwardly, and the actuator curved portion is rotatable in forward and rearward rotation directions. When the actuator is rotated in the forward direction, one of the spaced members pushes the projection to slide rearwardly, and when the actuator is rotated in the rearward direction, the other of the spaced members pushes the projection to slide forwardly.
The motor also may drive the pad in an orbital path, and the housing may include a front and a rear with the arcuate handle being at the rear of the housing. There also may be provided a second arcuate handle having a portion spaced forwardly of the housing front and generally extending arcuately in a horizontal plane to provide for two-handed control over the waxer. The operator being able to grip along both arcuate handles at various positions thereon while operating the waxer for maximizing control thereover.
The handle also may include a distal end spaced from the housing that is at a level generally aligned with the housing lower portion. There may be provided a motor actuator for selectively energizing the motor with the motor actuator spaced from the handle distal end for being engaged by a hand of an operator that is gripping the handle to control the waxer. The handle also may include an arcuate portion to which the motor actuator is mounted, and the motor actuator may be in the form of a paddle actuator having an arcuate shape substantially complementary to that of the handle arcuate portion.
The motor actuator may include a lock-on mechanism for keeping the motor actuator in a position at which the motor is constantly energized without requiring that an operator continually engage the motor actuator to hold the actuator in the motor energizing position.
The housing may include a receptacle for receiving a plug on an end of a power cord. The receptacle has an opening facing the handle distal end, and the handle distal end includes a cord lock for capturing a section of power cord to limit accidental disconnections between the receptacle and plug attached therein. The motor may further comprise a direct current motor assembly, and the plug receptacle is for electrically connecting an alternating current power supply to the waxer. There is provided a rectifier to convert the alternating current from the power supply to direct current for the motor assembly. The rectifier has a body in which a plurality of lead pins are mounted to extend exteriorly from the body and to be electrically connected to a printed circuit board.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a motor output control mechanism for a power tool that has a housing for containing a motor that drives a working element and including a handle extending away from the housing for being gripped to control the tool. A linear switch is mounted in the housing for being shifted in a linear direction to a plurality of predetermined positions for changing the torque output of the motor applied to the working element. A rotary actuator is mounted adjacent the handle and rotatable about an axis for shifting the linear switch between the predetermined positions. There is a connection between the switch and actuator for shifting the switch in the linear direction as the actuator is rotated about the axis to change torque outputs of the motor.
The connection also may include a projection on either of the switch or actuator, and a yoke on the other of the switch and actuator. The projection extends between the yoke so that shifting of either the projection and the yoke causes the other to shift therewith. The projection may be on the switch and the yoke on the actuator. The yoke may include a pair of spaced substantially parallel arms between which the projection extends. The arms rotate about the axis as the actuator is rotated to slide the projection in the linear direction. The switch projection may slide forwardly and rearwardly in response to forward and rearward rotation of the actuator. With the actuator rotated in the forward direction, one of the arms pushes the switch projection to slide rearwardly, and with the actuator rotated in the rearward direction, the other of the arms pushes the switch projection to slide forwardly.
The rotary actuator may include a curved exterior portion accessible to an operator on the housing for rotating the actuator and a curved bearing in the housing on which the curved exterior portion of the actuator is mounted for rotation. The switch also may include a switch projection for sliding linearly, and the rotary actuator may include spaced members below the curved exterior portion for being disposed on either side of the projection in the housing and riding on the curved bearing as the actuator is rotated about the axis so that as the members move in a curved path defined by the curved bearing the projection is slid in the linear direction.